78: Chapter 78: On the Verge of Uncontrolled Involution

Hengchuan Peak became popular.

But this kind of "popularity" carried a scent of burning.

Ever since the "Dirty Work Market" opened, Hengchuan Peak's reputation for "high efficiency, low combat damage, and willingness to endure hardship" spread like it had grown wings throughout the entire Qingheng Sect, even reaching the ears of several neighboring Sects.

Consequently, the mess that was previously ignored suddenly became a hot commodity—at least for the Elders issuing the tasks.

"Clean up this batch of Spirit Stone dregs."

"The defensive Formation over there is missing two corners, patch it up."

"And this too, clean out the sludge in the sewers; it's all just carcasses of low-level Yao Beasts, sorry for the trouble."

Tasks flew in like snowflakes.

It wasn't because the Elders respected Hengchuan Peak, but because—it was cheap, easy to use, and they didn't have to take responsibility.

If assigned to other peaks, the Disciple would complain about the filth and fatigue, throw tantrums at the drop of a hat, or even leave the mountain just to avoid the task.

But for Hengchuan Peak? Shen Xingzhou had clear prices; he worked as long as he was paid, and he did it beautifully.

Shen Xingzhou stood before the mountain gate, looking at the stone wall that was almost entirely covered in task orders, and felt a throbbing headache.

On the System interface, red warning pop-ups appeared one after another, like a broken siren.

[Project Load Monitoring]

[Current Parallel Projects: +11 (Historical Peak)]

[Task Load Per Capita: +67% (Severely Overloaded)]

[Average Rest Duration: -43% (Critical Fatigue)]

[Overload Level: High (High-Risk State)]

[Warning:]

The Disciple's mental state is nearing the edge of "death from overwork."

If this load continues, the System predicts: Non-combat attrition will inevitably occur within 3 days.

...~

This overload was not just physically exhausting, but even more so mentally.

Because Shen Xingzhou had linked "Performance" with "Benefits."

To get a little more points, to trade for better medicine for their families, to claim a slightly larger share in the "Peak Equity," the Disciples had gone mad.

At first, they only competed over who could work faster.

Later, it became a competition over who could take on more work.

Then later, the trend changed.

"Why are you dismantling my Formation Flag?!"

At a temporary construction site behind the mountain, two Disciples were brawling.

They were covered in mud, completely devoid of any immortal demeanor.

"Cut the crap! I was going to take this 'Clear Spirit Channel' task! What right do you have to cut in line?"

"The Task Hall just posted it, I saw it too! If you let me take it, I'll give you 20% of the points!"

"Bullshit! You cheated me on that Formation repair last time, and now you want to hog it all? Keep dreaming!"

Not far away, several Disciples who were transporting Yao Beast carcasses were red-faced while fighting over a slightly more valuable piece of Yao Beast Materials.

Some people secretly moved someone else's newly set up warning line just a bit, so that the other person's "small mistake" would be caught by patrols, thereby lowering their score and raising their own ranking.

Denunciation letters flew into Shen Xingzhou's office like snowflakes:

"Peak Master! Zhang San from the second team slacked off and slept for half an hour during the task!"

"Peak Master! Li Si from the fourth team secretly kept a piece of Yao skin!"

"Peak Master! Their team's efficiency is fake, it's just to cheat for performance points!"

The Hengchuan Peak of the past, where everyone helped each other and just staying alive was victory, seemed to be drifting away from everyone.

In its place was an arena filled with anxiety, suspicion, and mutual backstabbing.

[System Monitoring: Social Ecology Abnormal]

[Collaboration Score: ↓ 40% (Dropped below the safety line)]

[Internal Competition Index: Off the charts (Vicious competition)]

[Resentment Pool Growth Rate: Exceeds model limit by 200%]

[Analysis:]

The performance mechanism stimulated vitality in the Early Stages, but under conditions of limited resources (tasks) and excessive pressure, it quickly alienated into a "zero-sum game."

The Disciples were no longer partners, but competitors.

...~

Deep within the Immortal Cave, that invisible "Resentment Pool" was boiling.

Usually, this pool was used to absorb the Resentment from the dead on the battlefield to maintain the balance of the ley lines.

But now, it was absorbing the Resentment of the living.

That was something more viscous and darker than Death Qi.

Shen Xingzhou stood by the pool, watching the ink-black surface, bubbles constantly churning on it.

Every time a bubble burst, one could hear a low roar filled with malice.

[Resentment Pool Status]

[Current Storage: 98% (Approaching overflow threshold)]

[Growth Source Analysis:]

Job burnout: 40%

Colleague backstabbing: 40%

Sense of unfair distribution: 20%

[Consequence Warning:]

If it grows at the current rate:

Estimated overflow time: Within 3 days.

[Overflow Effect:]

Probability of group Heart Demon: ↑ (Once it occurs, it will be mass Qi Deviation)

Heavenly Dao Audit alarm probability: ↑↑ (With such massive Resentment gathered together, the Heavenly Dao will think we are refining demons)

Shen Xingzhou took a deep breath, only feeling a tightness in his chest.

Is this the primitive accumulation stage of capitalism?

It's too ugly.

If this continues, there's no need for the Central Continent to attack, no need for the Audit to investigate; Hengchuan Peak will explode on its own first.

"We cannot keep grinding like this."

Shen Xingzhou turned around and said to Wen Xi and Su Ciyao, who had just arrived, "We must hit the brakes. But this car can't be braked suddenly; we have to tap the brakes slowly, otherwise, the crash will be even worse."

Wen Xi pushed up her glasses, holding a stack of data reports in her hand, which she had calculated after pulling three all-nighters.

"I already have a plan."

She slammed a piece of paper filled with formulas onto the table.

"Since the problem is 'excessive competition,' we will use rules to 'limit the upper bound.'"

[Plan 1: Task Limit Mechanism (Wen Xi's proposal)]

[Core Logic:]

Set the maximum daily/weekly task acceptance amount per person/per team.

[Specific Rules:]

Mandatory rest order: After working continuously for more than X hours, the System locks task acceptance permissions and forces a logout.

Excessive load negative feedback: Forcing work beyond capacity not only doesn't count towards performance but instead deducts a "physical maintenance fee" and marks it as "abnormal behavior."

[System Simulation:]

Effect: Completely prevents extreme internal competition, protecting the Disciples' physical and mental load.

Side effect: Some highly ambitious Disciples are dissatisfied: "I can't even work more to earn more money? Is doing more or less the same?"

"Doing more or less, it really shouldn't be the same."

Su Ciyao took over the conversation, waving a round fan in her hand, her gaze shifting between Shen Xingzhou and Wen Xi, "Lady Wen's plan is 'blocking,' so my plan is 'dredging.'"

"Right now, everyone is grinding against each other because the earnings are individual. If I snatch yours, I earn a little more."

"What if the earnings were collective?"

She unfolded a map covered in little red flags.

[Plan 2: Team Honor Mechanism (Su Ciyao's proposal)]

[Core Logic:]

Separate part of the performance from "individual piecework" and convert it into "team honor rewards."

[Specific Rules:]

Best Team Award: Selected once a week. All team members share high bonuses and honor points.

Collective responsibility: If one person makes a serious mistake, the whole team loses points; if one person performs outstandingly, the whole team gains points.

Honor Display: Set up a "Glory Board" in the most prominent place in the square, not just to show points, but to show team photos.

[System Simulation:]

Effect: Greatly enhances internal team collaboration. For the sake of honor, the strong will actively help the weak (so as not to drag the team down), and backstabbing behavior will be significantly reduced.

Side effect: May give birth to a tendency for "honor-farming programs" (engaging in formalism for the sake of Face).

Shen Xingzhou looked at these two plans, lost in thought.

One limits the lower bound, preventing death from exhaustion.

One raises the upper bound, guiding collaboration.

This was indeed a combo to deal with "out-of-control internal competition."

"Let's do it this way."

Shen Xingzhou made the final decision, "Wen Xi, immediately upload the 'Task Limit' code; whoever dares to go against the System, deduct their performance points directly."

"Su Ciyao, you go handle that 'Glory Board,' make the posters flashy, and edit their photos to look good. This bunch of cultivators are obsessed with Face, so give them Face."

The two women exchanged a glance and left to carry out their orders.

The Immortal Cave returned to silence once again.

Shen Xingzhou breathed a sigh of relief, thinking this crisis finally had a glimmer of a solution.

However, on the System interface, the progress bar representing the "Resentment Pool" did not stop growing because of these two plans.

It just grew a little bit slower.

But that red "98%" was still stubbornly jumping upward.

It became... 98.5%.

Because Systems have lag.

New mechanisms need at least a few days to take effect.

And the current Resentment was accumulated over the past half-month.

It had already reached the critical point.

It was like a dam filled with water; even if you stopped adding water, as long as one more straw was added, it would collapse.

Just when Shen Xingzhou was still thinking about whether to hold a "Peak-wide Celebration" to relieve pressure.

At the bottom of the System, a deep, blood-red warning that had never appeared before suddenly exploded.

[Red Emergency Alarm]

[Resentment Pool Status: About to overflow]

[Analysis: The existing "gentle guidance" plans (Limit Mechanism + Honor Mechanism) cannot digest the current stock of Resentment within 3 hours.]

[System Deduction:]

If no immediate intervention is taken, the Resentment Pool will suffer a physical collapse within 4 hours.

[Suggestion:]

A large-scale flood discharge is required.

Shen Xingzhou's pupils contracted sharply.

"Large-scale flood discharge?"

He looked at the System interface, his voice trembling slightly, "How to discharge it? Where to discharge it? Are you saying... let me release this Resentment?"

[System Response]

[Not "release it."]

[It is "find a target" and strike it out.]

On the System interface, a map of surrounding Sects slowly appeared.

Several red dots were flickering at the locations of those peaks.

Those were potential "enemies."

Or allies who were about to become "enemies."

"Host."

The System's voice was as cold as ice.

"Your pool is full."

"If you don't find a place to vent it."

"Your Hengchuan Peak will become the first dead city to be submerged by Resentment."

Shen Xingzhou looked at those few red dots; they were Jia Peak and Yi Peak, which usually fought them for resources and watched them make fools of themselves.

He suddenly understood a truth.

In a world of internal competition, if you want to avoid being ground to death yourself.

The only way is... to muddy the waters and divert the disaster onto others.

"Flood discharge, huh..."

Shen Xingzhou gritted his teeth, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.

"Fine. Since this Resentment was forced out by the Sect."

"Then let the Sect taste this bitter fruit."

His finger swept through the air, pointing to the nearest red dot on the map.

"Let it be there."